Mt. Whitney Summit

On June 28, 2023 I set out to hike to the top of Mt. Whitney in California's Sierra Nevada range via the Mt. Whitney Trail. This peak - my first 14'er - is the lower US 48 state's highest peak.

I put in for the Whitney Zone lottery months prior and was selected for a June 28th, 2023 single day permit. The prior winter season had dumped record snows in California and having to spend a majority of the hike in the snow was unexpected. I nearly abandoned this one a few weeks prior, but instead went to the Wasatch and hiked a smaller peak to test myself in the snow. Gaining some confidence on The Pfeifferhorn in Utah's Wasatch range, I decided, I'd go for it.

With a 1 day permit for the Whitney Zone in hand, I drove to the Whitney Portal campground from Salt Lake City the day before and made camp. I did the hike the following day, spent one more night at camp, and that was a wrap.

This experience is hard to describe. The Sierra Nevada range is absolutely stunning, and this hike was absolutely grueling. The hardest thing I've done to date. Typically this trail in the summer offers you switchbacks all the way to the top, however those were still covered in 5 or more feet of snow, so the only way to make the ridgeline is with crampons and an ice axe going straight up it. I've never been so tired and out of breath. 10 of 10 hikes.

Training for Whitney

I get asked a lot about how to train and prepare for Mt. Whitney. Here are some of the things I learned and can pass on.

Know what you’re getting into

Mt. Whitney is no joke. While you don't necessarily need technical skills to bag the lower 48's tallest peak, you do need to be smart about it. If you're lucky enough to get a permit, take your training seriously, be smart about it and know what you’re getting into. A good way to stay up on current conditions in the Whitney Zone is to follow the Whitney Portal message board. Check here often for posts about current conditions.

I would recommend to anyone getting into peak bagging not to let Mt. Whitney be your first peak. Bag some 11s, 12s, and/or 13s and work your way up to it. You should be somewhat comfortable hiking an 8 hour day and climbing around 5,000’ of gain in that time. Mt. Whiteny (at least for me) was a 16+ hour day, and nearly 7,000’ of gain. Its a big one.

Physical Training

There is no other way around it. You need to train for elevation gain, at elevation if possible. This means being a good deal above sea level to start, and hiking up hills. Big hills. And doing this regularly if you can. If not, supplement with exercises that have you consistently lifting your legs and working your hip flexors. Stairs and/or stairmasters can be good for this, but don't rely on this exclusively. Mt. Whitney is not a big staircase, you need to train outdoors on uneven ground climbing hills.

Additionally, lunge and squat variations daily are great for your legs which are gonna take the most abuse (not including your feet).

Acclimitization

You will start this hike somewhere between 8k and 9k feet above sea level. If you don't live at elevation, I would recommend getting to camp early and spend a few days there resting, stretching and warming up for your hike day. This is not Everest, you don't need to be here weeks early and make treks up and down to basecamp ahead of summit day, but I wouldn't recommend hopping off your flight from near see level and hitting the trail.

Plan your day, set milestones and watch your time

If you're day hiking this, get a very early start. Mine was 2AM and it worked out well for me. Understanding that you will need to turn around at the top and come down the whole length again, make a plan for an exit time should you need to turn around. This will depend on the sunset time when you hike. Say to yourself, if I'm not at the summit by XX P.M., I'm gonna make the call to turn around and not be stranded out here in the dark.

Gear

I won't get too much into gear here, as that is very personal choice, but here are some basics. Obviously you're gonna need a pack that can carry your food/drink and clothing layers. Trail runners or hiking boots depending on conditions. Make sure they're broke in well first. You may opt for trekking poles. I used them on my hike and was thankful I had them. My hike also required crampons and an ice axe due to overwhelming snow conditions that year. You may not need these, but if there if you do, learn how to use them first and practice arresting yourself somewhere ahead of time. I also carried a Garmin PLB, just in case. You can find more information about my gear here.

Nutrition and Hydration

You'll burn a lot of calories on this hike. Look for light weight, calorie dense foods. Check out the Gear Skeptic channel on YouTube for details on this.

More importantly you'll need to pack enough liquid to stay hydrated along the way. Don't rely on water alone. Make sure to supplement your water intake with electrolytes. Drinking lots of water only while doing endurance exercise can lead to hyponatremia, which is a condition where your salt levels in your blood are extremely low due to the blood being over-diluted with water. This can be serious and even deadly because the symptoms present as dehydration in a lot of cases, causing the victim to drink even more water. Liquid IV or similar powder supplements are great for this.

Safety First

Know your limits. Its a good idea to take a wilderness first aid course prior to something like this and the knowledge you'll gain will benefit you in all your days of hiking and outdoor pursuit. Having this knowledge will help you recognize potential problems early and can help you to avoid life-threatening situations.

Prepare a first aid kit. Put some moleskin in it. Your feet will thank you. Oh, and sunscreen and chapstick.

Have Fun!

Enjoy that type 2 fun and the pain that comes with it. Enjoy the people, stop and chat when you can. Take lots of pictures. Be safe and good luck!